The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will be moved from Bangladesh to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The decision was made due to the political unrest in Bangladesh, which raised concerns about the safety of the players and teams. Despite the change in venue, the tournament dates remain unchanged, with the competition set to take place from October 3 to October 20.

Reasons behind the venue change

Bangladesh were originally slated to host the ninth edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup. However, ongoing political instability and nationwide protests made it unfeasible to hold the event there. The ICC, in consultation with various stakeholders, decided to shift the tournament to the UAE, a country with a proven track record of hosting international cricket events successfully.

ICC’s statement and Bangladesh’s role

Geoff Allardice, the ICC Chief Executive, expressed regret over the situation, acknowledging the efforts of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to try and host the event despite the challenges. He assured that the BCB would still retain the hosting rights alongside the Emirates Cricket Board and emphasized the ICC’s hope to bring a global event to Bangladesh in the near future.

“It is a shame not to be hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh as we know the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would have staged a memorable event. I would like to thank the team at the BCB for exploring all avenues to try and enable the event to be hosted in Bangladesh, but travel advisories from the governments of a number of the participating teams meant that wasn’t feasible. However, they will retain hosting rights. We look forward to taking an ICC global event to Bangladesh in the near future,” ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said in a statement.

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New venue as a proven host

The UAE, home to the ICC headquarters, has hosted several high-profile cricket tournaments, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 and the Indian Premier League (IPL). The matches will be held in Dubai and Sharjah, two of the most iconic cricket venues in the region, ensuring that the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will be conducted in a secure and well-equipped environment.

Historical context and defending champions

The upcoming tournament marks the ninth edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Australia, the reigning champions and six-time titleholders, will enter the competition as the team to beat. England, the inaugural champions in 2009, and the West Indies, who won in 2016, are the only other teams to have lifted the trophy. The shift in venue is expected to bring a new dynamic to the tournament, making it an exciting prospect for players and fans alike.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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